Twice Taken
by fairywings81
Summary: After discovering the Master of Brandy Hall is her father, Molly Gamgee is kidnapped by her mtysterious Drow relatives
1. Chapter One

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Chapter One

Molly was sitting on the stool in front of Pippin Took's bar,as Merry made her a virgin ale. Pippin had died a few months before,and the Inn that the old Took had owned had gone,not to the next oldest Took,but to Merry,his best friend. Merry was eyeing his daughter,almost guiltily. Nothing had been done the right by her for eight years. How could it be that she still loved and respected him as she did?  
"Here you go,Love."

  
He slid the mug across to her,and she caught it,with the same quick reflexes as was the dominant attribute of all Tooks. She was just like her mother in that way. "Molly,there are some things that you need to know,before I bring you back to Buckland." 

She sipped at her "ale" and nodded."Yes,Merry?"

  
Merry cleared his throat,and looked at his little girl,afraid for a moment that he would break down. "You are not Samwise Gamgee's sister." She looked at him,without saying anything,and he sighed in relief. "You're my daughter,Molly." After a minute of her continued silence,Merry wondered if he'd put her into shock. "Molly? Please say somethin'...anythin'"

  
"How can I be your daughter,and live with the Gamgees all this time?"  
Merry sighed. 

  
"It's a long story,my little one...a very long story."

  
"It is not all that long,Meriadoc,and I doubt you know the right story." A gruff voice spoke up from behind the pair,and Merry turned around to see a tall,young hobbit clad in a black hooded cloak standing there.

  
"I'm sorry,Sir,but the Inn's closed today,"Merry began,but the stranger crossed to the bar,and sat down beside Molly."or...maybe not for you..."

  
"I thought not. Do ye remember me,Cousin?"The stranger pulled back his hood,and looked at Merry,green eyes glinting at him,as they adjusted to the Inn's dim light. His hair was a light brown color,barely groomed,and dirty. Now that Merry had a better look at him,he pulled Molly closer,in fear,for he _did_ remember him,and what he was all about.

  
"Broca Took. What brings you back to the Shire?" 

  
"My brother's death,of course. I got word of it only last month. It's been hell for me,ye know."

  
"But you were banished. Do not look for welcome here,and do not come near this child with your fell hands!"

  
"Oh do shut up,you coward,and get an innocent hobbit a bit of ale",was the sharp reply,Broca's eyes never leaving his neice's face.

  
"Who is 'e,Merry?" Molly asked,fearful because Merry was afraid also.

  
"He is your uncle,Molly,but do not go near 'im,Love. He is a murderer." Merry was watching Broca as he made the ale.

Molly scooted over to look at the hobbit closer. "Did you really kill someone?"

  
"According to the gardener at the time,I did. I did nothing of the sort,but I have killed others..." She backed up a little,and Broca laughed softly. "Nay,little one..not children. Only the ones who truly deserve it. I don't deal in judgement." 

  
Merry came back,and set the ale in front of his estranged cousin. "Molly,come away from him now,and finish your ale." 

  
"When did ye turn against me,Merry? Before,ye were on my side. Now ye've gone and taken thiers?"

  
Merry didn't want to discuss it. It had been a long three months,this one being the longest. He had fulfilled Pippin's wishes of getting Molly out of Sam's house. He'd reopened the Inn,and was in the middle of rennovating half of Brandy Hall. Now he had to deal with telling Molly why she could not legally return to Sam,and...this Broca.

  
"Ye have a lot on your shoulders,Merry. Come and let it off." 

  
"I did not ask for your council,Broca." 

Molly spoke up softly,"Merry? tell me about why I was living with the Gamgees." 

  
Merry sighed,and sat down between his daughter and Broca."This isn't easy,Molls.I'm not really sure how to explain it to you,so it might come out all wrong." 

  
"Perhaps,then,Merry,I should tell her." Broca's now gentle voice was almost too much for Merry,though. 

  
"She is my daughter,Broca! I will tell her in my own time!"

  
Broca sighed,and fell silent. "As you wish,Merry."

  
"Thank you! Now then,Molly..." He turned to look at her. "I will tell you it slowly,ok?" He pulled her into his lap,and began the story. 


	2. Chapter Two

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Chapter Two

"Your mother Caroline and I met shortly before the War of the Ring. She was the most gorgeous of all the Tooks. Her eyes were the same color as yours,her hair a fair blonde. : We married in the beginning of the Fourth Age,around the same time Sam and Rosie. Most of all,Caro wanted a daughter. A few months later,she announced she was pregnant. We were overjoyed,but it was not to last long."   
Merry paused,his eyes clouding over,as if the memory hurt him for some reason.

  
"Merry? What happened?"

  
He cleared his throat,and with an effort,continued the story."Her last leg of pregnancy did not go well. She came down with the Black Fever. In her eighth month of pregnancy,she went into labor,which was really that for her. Labor. She could barely push. We thought we were going to lose you both. Miraculously,you lived. She did not."

  
Here,her father paused again,a look of grief clear on his face."I couldn't even look at you,Molly. It wasn't healthy for you,so I gave you to your Took relatives. I guess it was too much for them as well,so they put you up for adoption,and you wound up with the Gamgees. There you remained until two days ago."

  
"Adopted? Is that what Peregrin told you,Merry? That's not how it happened." Broca finally spoke up,looking at Merry. 

  
"You did say there was more....tell me now." Merry still didn't trust Broca,but had to give him a chance,for Molly's sake.

  
"They did not give her up for adoption,Merry. They sold her." Broca said gently.   
_"WHAT?!_ They _sold_ her?! Why?!" Merry was outraged,as he picked up his daughter,and held her close.

  
"I don't know the details of it....but I was looking through my father's things,and I found a slip of paper that said bill of sale,and had her name:Melanie Brandybuck." Broca was looking at Merry sympathetically. "I'm sorry,Merry." 

  
Merry smoothed Molly's hair,and looked at him. "Don't be. I owe you an apology,Broca. Please,come and dine with me at Brandy Hall. You may stay as long as you like."

  
"I'd like that,Merry. Thank ye."

  
"Sam will come for me,Merry. If they truly bought me,I'm thiers legally."

  
Merry looked down at Molly,and shook his head. "Oh no he won't,Molly. He can't touch you while you're in my Hall. I have legal birth records of you being born here in Buckland,and I have several witnesses that will back me up in saying that he's malnourished you and everything else. No,you're not going back to that kind of life,and I'm sorry I didn't come and take you sooner."

  
She nodded silently,two tears fell as she buried her face in Merry's shirt.  
Merry sighed,and held her tightly. He'd known this transition wouldn't be easy on her. "It's going to be ok,Molls. I promise you that. You're going into a very loving community now. They're all anxious to meet you,and will do anything you ask. Your nurse will love you. Her name is Martha." Molly didn't reply,and when Merry looked down,he saw that his child had fallen asleep. He looked up at Broca. "It's a shame Pippin won't get to see her grow up properly...." "Aye,but he's watching over all of us now,Merry. He's probably smiling right now,watching that child curl up so comfortably in yer arms like that."

  
"I miss him so much,Broca....he was my other half. I mean,I loved Caro to death,you know that. But when Pippin died....I died too. The last thing he said to me was to get Molly away from Samwise."

  
"I know. Tis a hard thing,losin' your bes' friend. I lost all of mine,because of some silly notion my relatives got into thier heads." Broca paused,and looked at Merry."Let's go home,Merry. Ye and the girl need some rest."

  
"Right...we all do."He carried Molly out of the Inn,and up the street towards Buckland.   
  



	3. Chapter Three

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Chapter Three

There was a lot of anxiety at Brandy Hall when the Master returned. Everyone who knew about what Merry had done were worried that the Gamgees from Hobbiton would confront him. As he walked into the dining hall,Merry sensed the tension. He ignored it,and sat Molly beside him to eat."Don't worry,little one. They'll get used to you." 

"Merry,I don't think it's her. It's me. Look how they all stare." Broca watched the other Brandybucks for a minute before looking away. "This was a bad idea,Cousin. It's foolish to think that I will ever be accepted here again." 

"Go on with your duties,all of you! Be it known that my cousin Broca Took will be living here forevermore." Merry smiled at Broca reassuringly. "I dare them to say anythin' to you now. Sit and eat,Broca." 

Molly was looking around the dining hall nervously. There was a small group of children just her age huddled together at the far end of the long table."Who are they,Merry?" She couldn't bring herself to call him Daddy yet. 

"They're your cousins,some of them." He smiled at her,and pointed out the taller one. "That's Ginger. She's my sister;your aunt." He ordered a plate of food for Molly,and an ale for him and Broca. "You'll like it here,Molly. Pippin did...." 

She nodded."She's tall,just like you and Pippin. Do you think you will break the Old Took's record?" She knew a thing or two about the old Took legends.

Merry smirked,and shook his head. "I doubt it,though your uncle Pippin came pretty damn close. Eat up,now. Lydia is giving me the evil eye. I think she wants to take our plates." 

Broca said nothing while he ate. He was eating like a starving animal too. He hadn't had a decent meal in many months. 

"Broca,I'm going to take Molly to her nursery,and have Martha clean her up,then put her in better clothes." He turned to Lydia,a young hobbit lass of about thirty-five. "Please show Master Took to his room after he has finshed,Lydia." 

Lydia nodded,and smiled softly. "Yes,Master Merry." 

With a nod to his other kin,Merry picked his daughter up,and headed out of the dining hall. "They are such a scrutinizing bunch,aren't they?" He smiled at Molly. 

"They don't like me here." 

"Give them time,Molly. They have to give you the same curtesy. Here now,your new rooms." 

"Rooms?!" She was incredulous."What do I need two rooms for,Merry?" 

He chuckled,and carried her into the nursery. "Martha...I'd like you to meet your new charge. This here is my daughter,Melanie." 

Molly looked up at Merry in suprise. "Melanie?" 

"From now on,you must put your past behind you,Molly. In my prescence,and in Buckland,you will be known as Melanie. Please remember that." 

In that instant,it seemed to Molly,that Merry was totally diffrent...and not her one time best friend. She answered him in a voice barely above a whisper. "Yes,Merry." 

Merry nodded,and his voice became gentle again.

"Martha,get her bathed and changed,please,then bring her to my study." Molly noticed how kind Merry was to his servants,and was quite suprised. 

Martha,a young girl of sixteen nodded. "Right away,Master Merry." She took her charge's hand and led her into the room. 

Merry smiled encouragingly at Molly. "Do as she says,Melanie. I'll see you in a few hours." He walked down the hall to his study,and closed the door. 

Merry walked to his desk,and sat down. He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Molly or Melanie,as she was now to be called would need to change a great deal,if she was to stay there. It would have to start that night,not in the morning. He'd seen her reaction to having a nurse. Shock,or anger,maybe,he thought. He was about ot start writing a list to give to Martha,when Lydia came into his study,without knocking."Lydia? Did you forget to knock?" 

Lydia seemed desperate. "I'm sorry,Master Merry. It's just there's someone at the door,waitin' for you." 

Merry nodded,and stood up. He walked out of his study,and went to the main door. He opened the door,and glared at the unwelcome guest. "Samwise Gamgee. I was wonderin' when we'd be seein' you." 


End file.
